media_artricles :: 2013

T&T ready for Carifta battle

Team manager Dexter Voisin is very satisfied with Trinidad and Tobago’s preparations, ahead of this weekend’s Carifta Games, in Nassau, Bahamas.

“What was done this year,” Voisin told the Express, “is an entirely new thing. The Sports Company (sportt) offered assistance with off-the-track seminars for the athletes—seminars with regards to performance, psychology, nutrition…”

On Tuesday, Team T&T closed off preparations for the Games with seminars at the Capital Plaza Hotel and a training session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

“We had the communications department from the Ministry of Sport and the Sports Company talk to the athletes in terms of communication skills, interview skills, and went through different scenarios. with regards to press conferences.

“With the new things,” Voisin continued, “we hope we will see differences in terms of performances. They will be better prepared mentally and physically. I would like to see them take a couple things and put them into practice to achieve their ultimate goal at the Carifta Games.”

At Carifta 2012, T&T captured six gold medals, nine silver and seven bronze to finish third. Perennial champions Jamaica topped the medal table, beating Bahamas into second.

The T&T athletes were on show at the Crawford Stadium last weekend, competing at the Falcon Games—their final meet ahead of Carifta 2013.

“Coming off the Carifta trials, Southern Games and Falcon Games,” said Voisin, “we saw improvement in some of the athletes, while some have regressed since the trials. We hope that those who have improved will continue to improve, and those who didn’t perform as expected will regain form.”

The team manager said that overall, he was very impressed with what he saw at the Falcon Games.

“We’re confident at this stage, based on preparation and performances last weekend. We had Jereem Richards, who is not listed to compete in the Carifta 400, run a sub-47. He is on the improve, and we would be looking for both him and Jonathan Farinha to do well in the 200 metres.”

Richards won the Falcon Games men’s 400 metres title in a personal best 46.51 seconds. There was also a PR (personal record) for Farinha, the 16-year-old athlete earning silver in the men’s 200m in 21.10.

Farinha captured the boys’ under-17 200m title at Carifta 2012. In Nassau, however, he will be competing in the under-20 age-group, along with Richards.

Chelsea James bids to repeat as girls’ under-17 shot put champion. Andwuelle Wright will target his second boys’ under-17 long jump title on the trot. And Mark London defends his boys’ under-20 800m crown.

Reigning boys’ under-17 discus champion Kenejah Williams will square off against the under-20s in Nassau.

The other T&T gold medallist in Bermuda, Keshorn Walcott, is no longer a junior. Walcott completed a hat-trick of boys’ under-20 javelin victories at Carifta 2012, and went on to capture the world junior and Olympic titles.

"Machel Cedenio is definitely the one to carry the flag, in the absence of Keshorn. He has been very successful at Carifta, and has experience under his belt…fifth at the World Juniors and part of the Olympic team. He’s one we’re looking at to lead.”

At last year’s Carifta Games, Cedenio earned silver in the boys’ under-20 400m.

“We’re praying and hoping,” Voisin continued, “that John Mark Constantine produces the type of performance he had at the trials.”

Despite a 3.2 metres per second headwind, Constantine clocked 10.38 seconds for a comfortable victory in the boys’ under-20 100m final.

Voisin left for Nassau yesterday to put things in place, ahead of the team’s arrival today. The 44 T&T athletes leave for the Games on a chartered flight at three o’clock this afternoon.

TEAM T&T

Boys under-20: John Mark Constantine (100m, 4x100m), Ayodele Taffe (100m, 4x100m), Jereem Richards (200m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Jonathan Farinha (200m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Machel Cedenio (400m, 4x400m), Asa Guevara (400m, 4x400m), Mark London (800m, 1500m), Akeem Marshall (1500m, 5000m), Ruebin Walters (110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 4x400m), Christian Hood Boyce (110m hurdles), Akeel Edwards (triple jump), Micah Mcnish (discus), Kenejah Williams (shot put, discus), Hezekiel Romeo (shot put), shakiel Waithe (javelin), Kevin roberts (open heptathlon), Breon Mullings (4x100m, 4x400m), Theon Lewis (4x100m, 4x400m)

Girls under-20: Lisa Wickham (100m, 4x100m), Aaliyah Telesford (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Kayelle Clarke (200m, 4x100m), Domonique Williams (400m, 800m), Shaunna Downey (discus), Latoya Gilding (discus), Cherisse Murray (shot put), Peli Alzola (4x100m), Onika Murray (4x100m)

Boys under-17: Kadeem Campbell (100m, 200m), Miguel Hackett (800m), Atiba Samuel (1500m), Hakeem Alexander (3000m), Che Richards (long jump, triple jump), Andwuelle Wright (long jump), Omari Benoit (high jump), Edson Moses (high jump), Ian West (javelin)

Girls under-17: Jeminise Parris (100m hurdles, 300m hurdles), Kermisha Serapio (100m hurdles, 300m hurdles), Alisha St Louis (long jump), Khemani Roberts (high jump), Ayana Glasgow (high jump, open pentathlon), Chelsea James (shot put, discus), Shaiann Charles (discus), Akidah Briggs (shot put, javelin)

Officials: Dexter Voisin (manager), Lucretia Burns (assistant manager), Michelle Stoute-Lopez (chaperone), Edwin Skinner (head coach), Ken Barton (coach), Eric McCree (coach), Charles Joseph (coach), Wade Franklyn (coach), Nadine Hamid (coach), Wendell Williams (coach), Michelle Pennie (coach), Anna-Lee Walcott (coach), Zephyrinus Nicholas (massage therapist), Jason Pilgrim (massage therapist), Kurlyn Smith (massage therapist), Liza Mohan-Watts (sports psychologist), Amanda Johnson (sports psychologist)

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